Dishwasher construction



Jan. 8, 1963 D. P. SLEEPER DISHWASHER CONSTRUCTION Fild July 11, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 m v m m w.

DAVID F? SLEEPER ATT'Y Jan.'8, 1963 Filed July 11, 1960 D. P. SLEEPER DISHWASHER CONSTRUCTION 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 DAVID P. SLEEPER ATT' Y Jan. 8, 1963 D. P. SLEEPER 1 .2,

DISHWASHER CONSTRUCTION Filed July 11, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 FIG.3

FIG.5

INVENTOR: DAVID P. SLEEPER mZJA/M United States Patent Ofifice 3,072,452 Patented Jan. 8, 1953 3,072,452 DISHWASHER CONSTRUCTION David P. Sleeper, Shelburne, Vt, assignor to General This invention relates to dishwashing machines and more particularly to those of the top-loading type.

In the past, top-loading dishwashers have been of two primary types. The first of these is the mobile type machine of which the entire machine may be moved physically about the room; the second type in which the entire tub assembly slides out of the built-in outer casing which is usually secured within a counter top or modular structure. Both of these types have had a basic drawback in that filling the lower rack is a real problem. One solution of the problem has been to provide only half an upper rack so that the lower rack may be loaded through the opening so provided. This solution however cuts the effective capacity of the machine down by a considerable amount. The other solution of the problem is to make a full top rack which must be lifted out for access to the lower rack. The weaknesses of this solution are quite obvious in that the machine can only be loaded in one order or pattern. It, for example, a pot or other item unsuited for the top rack is overlooked until the upper rack is being loaded, then the omitted item must be retained until the next washing or, the partially filled upper rack must be removed, and then the item placed in the lower rack. Finally then the upper rack may be replaced. Obviously neither of these presently practiced racking and loading arrangements in top-loading washers is a satisfactory solution to the problem.

Thus, the present invention has as its principal object the provision 'of a top-opening dishwasher which may either be built into the counter structure or may be of the mobile type and which permits easy loading and unloading of upper and lower racks in any loading sequence.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a dishwasher of the top-loading type which has a roll-out upper rack to allow ready access to the lower rack.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide a roll-out rack with a drip tray which normally occupies a position adjacent an inner tub Wall of the machine and forms an imperforate deck for the rack when the rack is extended from the machine for loading purposes, Whereby to intercept liquids or food particles as dishes are be ing placed in the rack and thus prevent soiling the floor.

It is another object of the invention to provide a drip tray as described immediately above, which is itself washed during the ensuing operation of the dishwashing machine.

It is another object to provide a dishwashing machine with a top-opening door which includes a depending flange, and in which the door can be opened in the fliptop manner to provide a recess in the upper border of the machine proper through which an upper rack of the machine may be withdrawn to a supported fully extended position.

To secure these objects the invention utilizes a stationary open-topped, otherwise imperforate tub. By this usage, all the economies of the imperforate tub type dishwasher may be realized. The top edge of the tub contains a front recess or cutout extending vertically along the front for a short distance, the function of which will be explained more fully later. Within the tub, there is provided a lower stationary rack and positioned above it a second rack structure which comprehends the full operational area of the machine. The upper rack advantageously comprises a stationary rear section and a front roll-out section which has extending side rails mating within rail guide mechanisms extending inwardly from the tub side wall. The roll-out rack in this Way may he slid horizontally along the guide mechanism out of the tub through the area defined by the recess in the top of the tub front wall to a fully extended position. With the roll-out rack in the fully extended position, the lower rack is exposed for ready access through the top opening in the tub. Pursuant to the present invention, the roll-out rack when in the extended position is above a metallic hinged drip tray or deck, maintained in a horizontal position by suitable hinge mechanisms later described. This drip tray insures that with the roll-out rack fully extended, drippings from the dishes will not cascade onto the floor of the kitchen. The tray is arranged so that it does not impede the circulation of liquid in the tub and the proper washing of the dishes during the washing operation of the machine. When the rack is being returned to its operative position, hinged portions of the drip tray break about the top surface of the front wall and come to a home position adjacent the front wall of the tub. In this position, the surface of the drip tray which may have been soiled by drippings from the ware in the upper rack is washed during the regular operational cycle of the machine.

The invention both as to its organization and principle of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof, will best be understood by reference to the follow ing specification taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the machine with the door open and the roll-out rack and its associated drip tray in the extended position;

FIG. 2 is a vertical section of the machine with the door closed and the machine ready for operation;

FIG. 3 is a partial sectional view of the machine cabinet with the door open to show the accessibility of the upper rack for withdrawal from the machine cabinet;

FIG. 4 is a partial sectional view of elements of FIG. 3 with the roll-out rack and drip tray partially extended;

FIG. 5 is a partial sectional view as FIGS. 3 and 4 with'the roll-out rack and drip tray fully extended; and

FIG. 6 is a partial sectional view of a drip tray to show the hinging in more detail.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, this invention has been shown in one form as applied to a dishwashing ap aratus which comprises a vat or tub I mounted in a cabinet 2. The tub I is formed of a pair of vertical side walls 3, a vertical rear wall 4, a vertical front wall 5, and a bottom wall 6, these walls being joined integrally together so as to provide a tub which is closed, except at the top and upper front where a single opening 6.1 is provided. This opening normally is closed by means of a horizontal door 7 with an integral depending front flange 8. The door preferably is hinged at the rear so that it may be swung upwardly from its closed position to an upright open position. The two vertical side walls 3, the vertical rear wall 4, and the vertical front wall Sform an upstanding vat or tub which is substantially square in horizontal cross section.

The bottom wall 6, as shown, is depressed, this wall being formed by four downwardly-inclined roughly triangular sections (not shown) which have their edges integrally joined and which terminate in a relatively deep depressed section 9 at the central part of the bottom wall 6. This section it is defined by an outer generally vertical circular wall 16) which inclines inwardly as it leaves the wall sections (not shown) and approaches the bottom as clearly shown in FIG. 2.

Mounted in the depressed bottom wall 6 of the vat is a water circulating impeller 13 rotatable on a vertical axis which is substantially coincident with the central vertical axis of the vat. Briefly, this impeller comprises an apron-like hub 14 from which a pair of water circulating blades (not shown) extend outwardly, the two blades being positioned opposite each other on the apron. Each blade has a water engaging face curving downwardly and forwardly from the blades upper edge to its lower edge in the direction of rotation of the impeller for providing wide distribution of the washing liquid. Also, mounted on the apron are air fan blades 17 used for circulating air during the dish-drying process.

The impeller is mounted upon and driven by a drive shaft 18 which in turn is driven by means of a suitable electric motor 19 located under the bottom wall 6. As shown, the shaft 18 enters the bottom wall through a cylinder 20 extending up from this wall and which has its lower end sealed to it.

Washing water is fed to the vat 1 through a spray device 21 mounted on the upper section of rear wall 4 of the vat and to which water is fed through a supply conduit 22, the flow of water through this conduit being controlled by a suitable inlet valve 23. Water from the spray device is circulated about the vat by the impeller 13 for cleaning dishes stacked within the vat.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, there is shown the dish-carrying racks embodied in the present invention. The first of these racks to be described is lower stationary rack 30. Rack 36 is mounted within the vat in the area above the fan blades 13. The rack is mounted within the vat walls by means of suitable spring clips (not shown) extending inwardly from the vat walls on which the rack 30 may rest. The rack 30 comprises an open wire tray with upright dividing members 31 suitable for holding dishes and pans to be cleaned in spaced-apart alignment. The base 32 of the lower rack may be fabricated from wire mesh or grided wire so that cleaning liquid may pass freely through the base of the rack while the rack fulfills its dish-carrying function. Spaced a distance above rack 30 is an upper rack which in turn comprises a rear stationary rack 41 and a front roll-out rack 42. The rear section or rack 41 is similar to rack 30 in construction and in its manner of mounting to the vat sidewalls. Roll-out section or rack 42 in general construction details is similar to the previously described racks in that it has a wire or screen bottom, wire sides and wire dividing members. Horizontally extending outwardly from each lateral sidewall of rack 42 are rail members 43, each of which may be comprised of a single rigid wire member 44 extending parallel to the base 45 of the upper rack 40. Within the vertical sidewalls 3 of the vat, are affixed horizontal rail guide mechanisms for mating with rail members 43. These rail guides may simply comprise two beams 51 and 52 extending horizontally within sidewalls 3 in superimposed fashion spaced to fit closely about the wire member 44. By this mating fit, the roll-out rack 42 is held in its normal position within the vat 1. Further, since the rail shown is a rigid wire and the rail guides only serve to sandwich the vertical and lateral movement possible is kept to a minimum; the rail and its appendant rack are allowed forward and return slide movement within the guide mechanisms. Needless to say, rail members are provided on each lateral side of the upper rack and suitable guide members 50 are provided within each lateral side of the vat to firmly hold the rack 42 in place normally and to allow slide motion of rack 42 out of the vat when the cover door 7 is in the open position. Naturally travel limiting stops of any simple known design could be utilized to hold the roll-out rack in its extended position. As an alternative to the described slide mechanisms, it is conceivable that roller slides and guide mechanisms such as those generally in use on file cabinet drawers could well be employed. By this generally known construction, travel limiting devices or stops may be readily incorporated to limit the extending motion of the slide racks.

Referring again to FIG. 1, there can be seen the manual control knob 53 protruding from the front of cabinet 2. The knob of course controls a timer mechanism to drive the machine through its operative cycle. The specific control mechanism used is not germane to the claimed subject matter and hence has been omitted for the sake of brevity.

Also in FIG. 1, there can be seen top door 7 hinged to the-cabinet 2 at the rear thereof by means of suitable hinge mechanisms 55. The hinge mechanisms are such that the door may be moved from a raised open to a closed position and held in either of these positions. It is also obvious that expedient latch mechanism 56 may be provided to lock the door in its closed position. The door 7 is generally flat in configuration to cover the top opening 6.1 and also has a depending flange 8 at its front edge which is designed to cover the downwardly extending cutout section 57 of top opening 6.1. Although it is not specifically shown, it is obvious that line of joinder between the door 7 and adjacent cabinet opening should be made water-tight so that no spillage of wash water occurs during the dishwashing operation. It can be seen that when top door 7 is opened, opening 6.1 then comprises the top opening previously mentioned and a vertical partial front opening 57 at the upper part of the cabinet front is thereby also uncovered.

Referring now to FIGS. 2 through 6, there is shown in addition to the aformentioned structure, a collapsible drip tray 60 comprising a suitable plurality of mutually articulated sections. For simplification of illustration, the tray is shown as including three sections 61, 62 and 63. Each of these sections comprises a rigid sheet metal member formed in substantially channel shape having a flat basal tray section with upstanding side walls 611, 62.1 and 63.1 at either side thereof. These tray sections are joined one to the other in articulated fashion by means of hinge mechanisms 64 to form the unitary tray 60. Each hinge mechanism 64 which is secured as by welding to adjacent tray sections allows pivotal motion between adjacent sections. Above each hinged joint is provided a transversely extending reinforcing plate 65 secured to the trailing edge of the forward drip tray section. This plate serves to overlie the cracks formed by the mating of the two adjacent tray sections and thereby seal the tray deck for liquid retention. The hinges and reinforcing plates are atfixed to the drip tray in such a manner that the drip tray may be flexible when subjected to bending forces in one direction (indicated by arrow A of FIG. 6) and will be rigid to forces in the opposite direction (indicated by arrow B of FIG. 6). This condition may be accomplished by means of any of a number of generally known hinge configurations. The upper or leading edge of the leading tray section 61 is secured to the forwardmost corner of roll-out section 42 by means of suitable hook and eye arrangement. This hook and eye arrangement includes a hook 66 extending from tray section 61 and secured about the horizontal forwardmost wire member 67 of roll-out section 42. The drip tray in its normal position (with roll-out rack 42 retracted within the vat) is held vertically within vat 1. Along front wall 5 of vat 1 and spaced therefrom are two inwardly extending mounts 70 each of which bears within suitable bearings rubber rollers 71. These rollers are used to maintain the normal spacing of the drip tray from wall 5 and thereby allow the tray to be extended out of thevat smoothly.

The present invention comes into play first when the machine is to be loaded. To load the machine the top door 7 is opened and moved to the open position shown in FIG. 1. Then roll-out section 42 may be grasped manually and slid forward through the vertical cutout 57 of opening 6.1. This linear slide motion occurs with the rail member 43 sliding smoothly within the rail guides 50. By continuing this linear motion, rack 42 may be extended it full length out of the vat. To limit the travel of the roll-out rack and to insure that this rack when extended will remain horizontal and not fall to the room floor, suitable stops may be installed within guide rail 59. These stops may be detachable so that the rack may be completely removed if desired. A construction such as this last mentioned one would provide a maximum of flexibility in machine operation.

Analyzing the motion of the drip tray during extension more in detail, it can be seen from FIG. 3 that as the roll-out section 42 is extended in a forward direction, the drip tray 60 will be moved upwardly and forwardly due to the hook and eye connection. Leading tray section 61 will then ride upwardly across upper roller 71 and will then move horizontally co-extensively with the forward end of roll-out section 42. This tray section as it reaches its maximum vertical extent will tend to ride across the lower threshold 73 of opening 6.1 in its extending motion. This threshold will tend to sustain the horizontal positioning of the drip tray during extension. See FIG. 4. The drip tray 60 as it is being extended folds at its hinged joints after a section has ridden across roller 71 and the section is then drawn in a horizontal manner across the threshold to form a rigid drip retentive tray beneath the extended rack section 42 as shown in FIG. 5. As previously mentioned, the reinforcing plates 65 tend to hold the drip tray sections rigidly in horizontal liquid retentive fashion while threshold 73 forms the rear support for the drip tray. The front of the drip tray is held in position below the roll-out rack by the hook and eye connection previously described.

With the construction described, the lower rack 30 may be reached and filled readily through the opening between stationary upper rack 41 and the fully extended roll-out section 42 (see FIG. 1). It should be noted that the stationary upper rack 41 comprises approximately one-third of the length of the upper rack and will clearly allow the rear of the lower rack to be readily reached. The lower rack may then be filled with dishes, pots and pans to be washed. Following this, the upper rack may then be filled, after which roll-out rack section 42 may be retracted within the vat 1. As the roll-out section is being retracted, the drip tray telescopes within the vat, each section folding downwardly as its forwardmost end passes over threshold 73. Each section by virtue of its inherent weight will tend to assume the position shown in FIGS. 4 and 3 spaced along the front wall of the vat. Clearly at this stage it can be appreciated that if a pot or pan is to be placed in the lower rack once the upper rack has been loaded, the user need only extend the rollout rack sufiiciently to reach the desired location for the added pot or pan and then need only push the roll-out rack to retract it.

The cover 7 may then be closed; manual knob 53 properly manipulated and the dishwashing operation will then begin. It should also be noted that during the dishwashing operation drip tray 60 is maintained in its retracted position within vat 1 and therefore will be exposed to the washing action induced by the impeller 13 and spray device 31. This washing action will tend to clear the drip tray of all drippings from the dishes which have been loaded on the roll-out rack section. The drip tray will in this way be washed fully along with the dishes in both upper and lower racks. At the completion of the washing, the machine is directed through a drying operation in which air is heated by heating element 75 and circulated by air fan plates 17. The drip tray 60 also will be dried along with the dishes Within vat 1. At the conclusion of the dishwashing operation, the top door 7 is again opened to the position shown in FIG. 1; the upper rack roll-out section is then extended and the clean dishes may be removed from both upper and lower racks. At this stage it should be noted that since the drip tray 60 had been exposed to the washing and drying within the vat, no food or water drippings can be released by the drip tray 60 when extended for unloadinn.

In this manner, a dishwasher has been provided which allows two full racks of dishes to be washed in each dishwashing operation, which allows dishes, pots or pans to be added to the lower rack simply at any time, and which incorporates all the economies inherent in imperforate vat construction dishwashers.

While there has been described what is presently considered to be a preferred embodiment of the invention, it will be understood that various modifications may be made therein, and it is intended to cover in the appended claims all such modifications as fall Within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A dishwasher comprising, in combination, structure providing rear, side, and front walls defining a substantially rectangular open-topped tub for receipt of articles to be washed, said front wall terminating a substantial distance below said side walls, a cover for said tub, flange means extending downwardly from the front edge of said cover to provide a continuation of said front wall to complete the enclosure, means for hinging said cover to the rear of said tub, means in the bottom of said tub to dis- 7 tribute washing liquid upwardly throughout said tub, sliderail means extending horizontally rearwardly along the respective side walls of said tub at a level immediately above the top of said front wall, a dishrack in the lower portion of saidtub, an upper dishrack mounted on said slide rail means for withdrawal substantially completely from said'tub, said upper dishrack having an openwork bottom for passage of washing liquid therethrough, a drip tray carried by said upper rack to provide a drip-catching bottom therefor upon movement thereof outwardly of said tub, said tray comprising a plurality of members extending transversely of said dishrack for substantially the full Width thereof, means for hinging each of said members one to the other to articulate said members into a flexible structure, means for securing the foremost of said members to the lower front portion of said upper rack, means comprising a plate extending across the top of each adjacent pair of members in covering relation to the joint therebetween to restrict drippage therethrough, each of said plates being secured along only one lateral edge to one only of said pair whereby to stiffen said articulated members against flexing in one direction while affording free flexure in the other, and means for guiding said drip tray into or out of said tub as said upper rack is withdrawn therefrom and returned thereto.

2. A dishwasher comprising, in combination, structure providing rear, side, and front walls defining a substantially rectangular open-topped tub for receipt of articles to be washed, said front wall terminating a substantial distance below said side walls, a cover for said tub, flange means extending downwardly from the front edge of said cover to provide a continuation of said front wall to complete the enclosure, means for hinging said cover to the rear of said tub, means in the bottom of said tub for distributing washing liquid upwardly throughout said tub and outwardly toward the side walls thereof to effect a thorough washing operation, slide-rail means extending horizontally rearwardly along the respective side walls of said tub at a level immediately above the top of said front wall, a dishrack in the lower portion of said tub, an upper dishrack mounted on said sliderail means for withdrawal substantially completely from said tub, said upper dishrack having an openwork bottom for passage of washing liquid therethrough, a drip tray carried by said upper rack to provide a drip-catching bottom therefor upon movement thereof outwardly of said tub, said tray comprising a plurality of members extending transversely of said dishrack for substantially the full width thereof, means for hinging each of said members one to the other to articulate said members into a flexible structure, means for securing the foremost of said members to the lower front portion of said upper rack for movement therewith, means for guiding said drip tray out of said tub as said upper rack is withdrawn from said tub, means for stiffening said articulated members in the withdrawn condition whereby said tray provides a liquid retentive surface for catching and retaining drippings from said upper rack upon loading the same with soiled articles, and means efiective upon return of said rack to said tub for guiding said tray members for positioning said tray members vertically adjacent a side wall of said tub with the soiled surface of said rack facing inwardly, whereby said surface is exposed to the action of washing liquid for cleaning said surface during a subsequent washing operation.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Reeves Aug. 23, 1949 

2. A DISHWASHER COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, STRUCTURE PROVIDING REAR, SIDE, AND FRONT WALLS DEFINING A SUBSTANTIALLY RECTANGULAR OPEN-TOPPED TUB FOR RECEIPT OF ARTICLES TO BE WASHED, SAID FRONT WALL TERMINATING A SUBSTANTIAL DISTANCE BELOW SAID SIDE WALLS, A COVER FOR SAID TUB, FLANGE MEANS EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY FROM THE FRONT EDGE OF SAID COVER TO PROVIDE A CONTINUATION OF SAID FRONT WALL TO COMPLETE THE ENCLOSURE, MEANS FOR HINGING SAID COVER TO THE REAR OF SAID TUB, MEANS IN THE BOTTOM OF SAID TUB FOR DISTRIBUTING WASHING LIQUID UPWARDLY THROUGHOUT SAID TUB AND OUTWARDLY TOWARD THE SIDE WALLS THEREOF TO EFFECT A THROUGH WASHING OPERATION, SLIDE-RAIL MEANS EXTENDING HORIZONTALLY REARWARDLY ALONG THE RESPECTIVE SIDE WALLS OF SAID TUB AT A LEVEL IMMEDIATELY ABOVE THE TOP OF SAID FRONT WALL, A DISHRACK IN THE LOWER PORTION OF SAID TUB, AN UPPER DISHRACK MOUNTED ON SAID SLIDERAIL MEANS FOR WITHDRAWAL SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLETELY FROM SAID TUB, SAID UPPER DISHRACK HAVING AN OPENWORK BOTTOM FOR PASSAGE OF WASHING LIQUID THERETHROUGH, A DRIP TRAY CARRIED BY SAID UPPER RACK TO PROVIDE A DRIP-CATCHING BOTTOM THEREFOR UPON MOVEMENT THEREOF OUTWARDLY OF SAID TUB, SAID TRAY COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF MEMBERS EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY OF SAID DISHRACK FOR SUBSTANTIALLY THE FULL WIDTH THEREOF, MEANS FOR HINGING EACH OF SAID MEMBERS ONE TO THE OTHER TO ARTICULATE SAID MEMBERS INTO A FLEXIBLE STRUCTURE, MEANS FOR SECURING THE FOREMOST OF SAID MEMBERS TO THE LOWER FRONT PORTION OF SAID UPPER RACK FOR MOVEMENT THEREWITH, MEANS FOR GUIDING SAID DRIP TRAY OUT OF SAID TUB AS SAID UPPER RACK IS WITHDRAWN FROM SAID TUB, MEANS FOR STIFFENING SAID ARTICULATED MEMBERS IN THE WITHDRAWN CONDITION WHEREBY SAID TRAY PROVIDES A LIQUID RETENTIVE SURFACE FOR 